Folding device



Aug. 20, 1929. ,G. SPIESS 1,725,309.

FOLDING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1925 6 Sheets-Shet 1 Aug. 20, 1929. a. SPIESS FOLDING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 20, 1929. 91E55 1,725,309

FOLDING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 F'IG.7

FIG. 8"

Aug. 20, 1929. Ess 1,725,309

FOLDING navxcs Filed Aprill8, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 9

Htfarney Aug. 20, 1929. G. 'SPIESS FOLDING DEVICE v Filed April 18 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I722172 for 6 9 6 191}? 5 Minn 5 be folded is Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORG SPIESS, OF LEIPSIC, GERMANY.

FOLDING DEVICE.

Application filed April 18, 1925, Serial No. 24,241, and in Germany April 19, 1924.

This invention relates to folding mechanisms either automatic folding machines or mechanism co-operating with a printing press and of that type in which the sheet to stopped on its way by means of a stop, so that it is folded at the folding point and then. after the folding, further conveyed by the conveying rolls. In the machines of this type of known construction the folders and the sheet guides are arranged, owing to the necessary change of tie conveying direc tion between every two folders, perpendicularly the one with regard to the other adjacent and proceeding in a direction opposite to the entrance side, at the outer side of the table for feeding the sheets.

\Vith the arrangement of the different folders with regard to one another the sheet is conducted through the second. folder in such a direction that, in a sheet which has been folded twice, the half of the sheetwhich, when the sheet enters into the machine, is at the front end is now on the outer side, wherefrom results an incorrect sequence of the sheets when the sheets, as is usually the case,

are adjusted at the folding at the same contact edges which are used for tl e adjusting at the printing.

In order to obtain, at the folding with the machines of known type, a. correct sequence of pages the sheets must either be imposed in another manner, if one wants to use for the folding the same edges which have served at the printing or, if the normal imposing of the sheet has to be preserved, other edges'of the sheet ought to be used for the adjusting at the folding than those which have served for the adjusting at the printing. Both proceedings have inconveniences, the most important of which is that the folding machines of different type cannot be utilized in one edition.

The construction of the folding machine of known type presents further the inconvenience that it requires comparatively much space, as the last folding mechanism and the delivering of the folded sheets are at a. distance from the first folder at the part of the machine opposite to the entrance side, whereby the attendance of the machine and the surveying of the same are rendered more diflicult.

To avoid these inconveniences the sheet, after it has passed through the first folder, is, according to the invention, conducted through the second folder in such a manner that the half of the sheet which was at the front when the sheet entered into the first folding mechanism, is on the inside when the sheet has been folded twice. guide on which the sheets are adjusted at the entering into the first folder is arranged, with regard to the first folder, so that the same edge of the sheet is used for adjusting for folding which has been used for adjusting prior to the printing.

lVith the advantage that, when the second folder is arranged in this manner, normall imposed sheets, when being folded in the usual manner with adjusting at the edge which has been used for adjusting at the printing, are folded with correct sequence of the pages, the further advantage is combined that the succeeding folders are no longer at the outer side of the machine frame and directed towards the side turned away from the entering side, but partly below and partly directly at the side of the feeding table.

hen normally imposed sixteens are folded three times with a folding mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention the folded sheets are delivered underneath the feeding table and transversely to the direction in which the sheets enter. When the 3rd fold has to be a so-called newspaper fold e. g. when the right rear quarter of the unfolded sheet which is being fed into the machine is situated on the inside when the sheet has been folded thrice, the sheet is conducted through the third folder in inverse direction and the delivering of the folded sheet is effected in a direction opposite to the delivering direction which has ust been mentioned, e. g. at the side of the machine on which the third folder is situated.

05 For thirty two imposed sheets the sheets can pass through the fourth folder in a direction opposite to the direction at which the sheets enter into the folding mechanism, the

fourth folder together with the sheet deliver- 0 er being either below the table or directly at that side of the same at which the third folder is situated, according to whether the sheet passes through the third folder in one or other direction.

In fourfolding mechanisms the fourth folder and the sheet deliverer may be arranged so that the delivering of the folded sheet takes place at the side opposite to the entrance side without alteration of the 110 The register 7 I folding of the sheets. In this case the fourth mechanism around these folders.

folder and the sheet deliverer are either also inside the machine frame or directly at the side of the frame. The delivering of the folded sheets takes place in any case, without regard to the folding to which the sheets are submitted, always at one and the same point on a collecting track common for all folding mechanisms. This collecting traclr 1s preferably situated laterally at the outer side of the machine frame e. g. at the side of the mechanism which feeds the sheets into the "first folder where they are easy to observe so that the delivering of the folded sheets tal res place in a direction opposite to that wlth which the unfolded sheets enter into the machine.

The sheets which are not to be submitted to all folding operations are conducted to the common collecting track in such a manner that the sheets are fed by means of deflectors so that the front edge of the sheet is fed directly between said folding rolls which are not to effect any folding, or by conveying V The folders themselves may be moved from their {working position into an inoperative posit1on.

In folding mechanisms in which the second and third folder are arranged laterally the fourth folder and the sheet delivering mechanism can be arranged either at the same side or at the opposite side of the ma-' chine. In the latter case the sheets are conveyed by the conveying mechanism from the third folder to the fourth folder or to the delivering mechanism. The fourth folder is in this case preferably arranged in such a manner that it can be put out of work so that in this position of the fourth folder the sheets are delivered from the conveying mechanism directly to the delivering mechanism.

Ina multiple folding machine constructed according to the invention sheets which are folded twice, three times, four times or any number of times can be delivered without an alteration of the construction or position of the delivering mechanism whereby the construction of the device and its attendance are simplified, the mechanism requiring besides little space. The arrangement is especially advantageous that the last folding mechanismcan be brought into an inoperative position,'as in this case the sheets which have been folded once, twice or three times are conveyed on the delivering mechanism transversely to the direction in which they come from the last folder. In this manner it is avoidedthat one of the sheets to be delivered be inserted between the gaping edges of the previously delivered sheet said edges being turned towards thesheet to be delivered. An inserting of the folded sheets one into another arrives when the feeding of sheets to the mechanism hasbeen interrupted.

An embodiment of the invention is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which the construction of a cross folding mechanism for four folds, according to the invention, is shown, all those elements beingomitted which are not absolutely necessary to make the invention understood.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation,

Fig. 2 a plan view and Fig. 3 a rear elevation of the preferred form of construction of the machine.

Fig. 4 shows in side elevation a second form of construction of the machine.

Figs. 5 to 7 show respectively in side. elevation, plan view and front elevation a folding machine in which the second and third folding mechanisms are arranged on one side of the machine, the fourth folding mechanism and the common delivering for the folded sheets being arranged on the other side of the machine.

Fig. 8 shows in plan view a similar machine with a fourth folding mechanism, which is adapted to swing around a vertical axlel Figs. 9 and 10 show respectively in side elevation (with all except the common delivering band and fourth folding mechanism omitted) and in plan view (with parts of the frame structure omitted) a machine which differs from that shown in Fig. 8 by having its fourth folding mechanism arranged so that it can swing around a horizontal axle.

Figs. 11 and 12show respectively in front elevation and plan view a machine in which the fourth folding mechanism and the sheet delivering mechanism are arranged at the same side of the machine as the second and third folding mechanisms, the fourth folding mechanism being adapted to be removed in lateral direction. v The machine frame consists of two uprights 1 and 2 connected with one another by difierent transverse connections between which the different folders and sheet guides are arranged. The sheets are on the feeding table 3 adjusted by means of rollers l ar ranged parallel to one another and of a register guide 5, and the adjusted sheets are conveyed to the first folding mechanism. The first folding mechanism consists of ccnveying rolls 6, 7, of the folding plate 8 with a stop for the front half of the sheet conveyed over the folding rolls, and of the roll 9 which, together with the roll 7 effects the first folding of the sheet.

The folded sheet descends from the rolls 7 and 9 between front and rear sets of guide rods 10 to a stop from where it is conveyed in horizontal direction but in vertical position to the second folder arranged at the side of the machine, said second folder consisting of vertical conveying rolls 11, 12, a folding plate 13 and a roll 14 which, together with The folding plate 13 for the second folder is situated, viewed from the entrance side of the machine, outwardly beyond the vert1- cal plane of the opposed contact surfaces of the folding rolls 12, 14 and obliquely to the plane of the first folder, the sheet being delivered from between the folding rolls 12, 141: on the inner side of the first-named plane.

The sheet is then guided between guide rods 15 to be fed, after it has come in contact with a stop, in vertical direction downward to the third folder which is mounted at the same side of the machine as the second folder and consists of the conveying rollers 16, 17 arranged horizontally and parallel to the uprights 1, 2, of the downwardly 1nclined and outwardly directed folding plate 18 and of the roll 19 which, together wlth the roll 17, produces the third fold.

The three times folded sheet travels then along the horizontal guide 20 underneath the feeding table 3 and, after having struck against a stop 20, it is conducted by suitable driven rolls 20 to the fourth folder in a direction opposite to the direction of entering into the machine, said fourth folder consisting of conveying rolls 21 and 22 mounted horizontally and parallel to the first folder under the feeding table 3 and between the uprights 1 and 2, of the folding plate and of the roll 24 which, together with the roll 22, produces the fourth fold.

The four times folded sheet is delivered by the pair of rolls 25 and the conveying band 26 after having come out from the fourth folder.

The form of construction shown in Fig. 4 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 by another shape of the machine frame. The folded sheets can, after the third folding, be conducted either to the left or the right, e. g. in that direction in which the sheet enters into the machine or in opposite direction. lVith this object in view a sheet folding and deliverering mechanism is arranged also on the side opposite to the sheet entrance adjacent to the sheet guide behind the third folder, this fold ing and sheet delivering mechanism being similar to that on the other side of the guide 20. The sheet feeding table is supported by projecting arms 27 of the side frames of the machine so that the folder and guide arranged under said feeding table are more easily accessible.

In the form of construction shown in 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 the third folding mechanism is arranged so that the sheet comes from the third folding mechanism in the direction towards the machine. The sheet gets then upon a transverse conveyor formed of superposed sets of rolls 28 arranged inside the machine frame underneath the feeding table and designed to guide the sheet to the fourth folding mechanism arranged on the opposite side of the machine and consisting of the horizontal guide 29, the conveying rolls 30, 31, the folding plate 32 and a roll 33 which, together with the roll 31, forms the fourth pair of folding rolls.

The sheet coming from the fourth folding mechanism gets onto an endless conveying band 34 arranged below the first folding mechanism and at the side of the machine opposite the second and third folding mechanisms, said band being guided over rolls 35, 36. This conveying band advances at the same speed as the sheet delivering progresses. The upper side of the conveying band moves in a direction opposite to the direction in which the unfolded sheets enter into the machine via the feeding table Sheets which have to be folded less than four times are conveyed to the common delivering and conveying bands 3a in such a manner that they pass through several of the folding mechanisms without being folded, this being effected in a simple manner by means of deflectors (Fig. 11) which are inserted into the corresponding feeding mechanism and serve to deflect the front edge of the sheets coming from between the conveying rolls 6, 7, 11-12 1617 and 2224 so that they do not get onto the folding plate belonging to the corresponding folding mechanism but are fed directly between the rolls of the folding mechanism. In Fig. 11 such a deflector 46 is shown b way of example inserted in the third folding mechanism so that the sheet passes through this folding mechanism without being folded.

In the forms of construction shown in Fig. 8 or 9-10 and 11 and 12 of four folds producing mechanisms the fourth folding mechanism is adapted to be thrown out of gear in such a manner that it can be brought from the working position into the position of rest.

According to Fig. 8 the fourth folding mechanism, composed of the conveying rolls 47 and of the folding plate 49, is adapted to be oscillated around a stationary vertical axle 50. The fourth shown in Fig. 8 in the The position of rest.

sheets fed from the conveyer 28 drop directly upon the delivering and conveying band 34 which conveys the same in av direction perpendicular to the former direction of conveying. The working position of the fourth folding mechanism is shown in Fig. 8 in dash and dot lines.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the fourth folding mechanism is mounted on two arms 37, 38 which are oscillable around a horizontal axle 39. This axle 39 is journaled in a bracket 40 laterally projecting from the machine frame. A second bracket serves for supporting the front ends of the arms 37, 38.

When the sheets have to be folded only thrice the arms 37, 38 carrying the fourth folding mechanism is position shown in Fig. 9 in dash and dot lines so that the sheets which have been already folded thrice are delivered from the conveyor 28 directly upon the delivering band 3%.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 11, 12 the folding plate 43 of the third folder isarranged outwardly inclined in direc tion towards the machine from which results that the third folding, in opposition to what takes place in the above described form of construction of the mechanism, is

'carried out as a so-called newspaper fold.

of construction of the mechanism also ardash and dot lines.

. I claim:

' 1. A. folding machine having at least four folders and wherein the third folder and the fourth folder are connected by feeding means arranged on opposite sides of the machine frame, and wherein a sheet delivering mechanism receiving the sheets from the fourth folder and arranged at the same side of the machine as said fourth folder delivers the sheets in the reverse direction to that in which they were initially fed toward the first folder.

2. A folding apparatus embodying at least three folding mechanisms and wherein the second folding mechanism is vertically arranged and the stop plate of said folding mechanism is disposed on the outer side of a plane imagined through the line of contact of the rolls of said foldin mechanism ant parallel to the direction or the first folding mechanism viewed from the entrance side of the machine, and wherein the third folding mechanism is arranged on the inner side of said plane. 7

3. A folding mechanism including feeding means, folding devices for folding a sheet any predetermined number of times, and a com mon conveying band for delivering the folded sheets independently of the number of folds and arranged laterally of the means for feeding the sheets to the machine and so as to (lo-- liver the folded sheets in a position opposite to the direction in which the unfolded sheets are fed by said feeding means to the machine.

l. A folding apparatus including a folding mechanism adjustable from an operative to an inoperative position, and a common track on which said folding mechanism can be displaced when rendered inoperative.

5. In a mechanism for folding printed,

the edge of the sheet which has been used for.

adjusting prior to the printing as an adjusting edge for the folding and folding devices for folding the sheet at least three times, the second of said devices operating to fold the sh et primarily folded by the first folder so.

that the half of the sheetprimarily passing the first folder will be disposed on the inside of the folded sheet, whereby at the final folding the pages formed by the folds'will be arranged consecutively in, proper order according to their page numbering.

in a machine for folding a sheet at least three times, and wherein the sheet is fed in one dire tion longitudinally of the machine frame to the first folder and the third folder is arranged at one side of the machine frame, delivery means at the opposite side of the machine frame for delivering the sheets longitudinally of the machine frame in the opposite direction to that in which the sheets are initially fed to the first folder, and means for feeding the sheets crosswise of the frame from the third folder to said delivery means. r1 machine for cross-folding sheets, having at least three folding appliances operating in series, and a staclii conveyor, each of said folders after the first folding the sheet transversely of the fold made by the preceding folder, and having the ultimate and penultimate folders operating as crossfolders, the stacking conveyor being arranged directly below the ultimate folder and moving parallel with the axes of the rollers of the penultimate folder, and means being provided enabling the sheets to be delivered by the penultimat folder to the stacking conveyor without passing through the ultimate folder.

8. A machine for cross folding sheets, having a feeding-in table, and a frame supporting the same, a stacker, and at least three folding appliances operating in series, and having the ultimate and penultimate folding appliances disposed at opposite sides of the frame supporting the feeding-in table, and having a conveyor adapted to convey sheets from the penultimate folder across the frame to the ultimate folder or the stacker alternatively.

9. A folding mechanism including selective folding devices greater than two in number for folding a sheet any predetermined number of times, and a common conveying means for all of said'devices including and following the second of said devices for delivering the folded sheets irrespective of the number of folds in a direction longitudinally of the machine and opposite that in which the sheet is fed to the first folding device.

10. In a machine for folding a sheet at least three times, and wherein the sheet is fed in one direction longitudinally of the machine frame to the first folder and the third folder is arranged at one side of the machine frame, delivery means at one side of the machine frame for delivering the sheets longitudinally of the machine frame in the opposite direction to that in which the sheets are initially fed to the first folder.

11. In a machine for folding a sheet at least three times, and wherein the sheet is fed in one direction longitudinally of the machine frame to the first folder and the third folder is arranged at one side of the machine frame, conveying means coacting with the third folder for the transfer of the thrice folded sheets at right angles from said folder to said conveying means, the said conveying means being arranged for delivering the sheets longitudinally of the machine frame in the opposite direction to that in which the sheets are initially fed to the first folder.

12. In a machine for folding a sheet at least three times, and wherein the sheet is fed in one direction longitudinally of the machine frame at one side thereof to the first folder and the third folder is arranged at one side of the machine frame, each of said folders, after the first, operating to fold the sheet transversely of the fold made by the preceding folder, and the second folder is so disposed that when the sheet has been twice folded, the half which was leading at the first folder lies inside, delivery means at the opposite side of the machine frame for delivering the sheets longitudinally of the machine frame in the opposite direction to that in which the sheets are initially fed to the first folder, and means for feeding the sheets crosswise of the frame from the third folder to said delivery means.

In testimony whereof I affixed my signature.

GEORG SPIESS. 

